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High school students teach virtual sessions to elementary, middle school students

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Updated: 9:37 AM CDT Apr 23, 2020

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THE DISCUSSION WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE. >> I WILL GIVE SHAWN A MINUTE. >> IT IS NOT OFTEN YOU HAVE KIDS AS YOUNG AS NINE DEBATING TOPICS LIKE RECESSION AND NUCLEAR WAR. AND THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE. >> THE IMPACT OF RECESSION OR THE IMPACT OF NUCLEAR WAR. >> MICHAEL IS A 10TH GRADER AT MONTGOMERY BLAIR HIGH SCHOOL. PART OF A VOLUNTEER GROUP OF OTHER TEENAGERS CALLED KINDLING CURIOSITY. >> KIDS ARE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AT HOME. WITH THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE, IT IS A GREAT CHANCE TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW. AND THESE GREAT NEW, IN THESE GREAT FIELDS. >> THE HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE TEACHING FREE CLASSES TO RATES FOURTH THROUGH EIGHTH MEANT TO INSPIRE THEM BEYOND WHAT THEY MIGHT BE LEARNING AT HOME WHILE SCHOOL IS OUT. THE CLASSES ARE OFFERED FIVE DAYS A WEEK, TAUGHT OVER ZOOM AND INCLUDE TOPICS LIKE COMPETITIVE MATH AND DEBATE AND PROGRAMMING. >> WE PRESENT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PROBLEMS FROM PREVIOUS COMPETITIONS, AND THEY MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE TOPIC THAT WE JUST TEACH -- SO STUDENTS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO DIFFERENTLY. >> THE PROGRAM IS IN ITS SECOND WEEK AND THEY ALREADY HAD 100 STUDENTS SIGN UP ON THE KINDLING CURIOSITY WEBSITE. >> IT WILL BE NOT ONLY A RECESSION BUT IT WOULD BE A GREAT DEPRESSION. AND THAT COULD BE A SUPER RECESSION. >> THE STUDENT’S AND THE TEACHERS ARE HAVING FUN, AND WORKING OUT ANY SMALL HICK UPS AS THEY GO. FOR NEXT WEEK’S DEBATE CLASS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ASSIGNMENT IS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS A WORKING MICROPHONE. >> AND MAKES ME FEEL REALLY GOOD BECAUSE I SEE A LOT OF YOUNGER KIDS BECOMING INTERESTED IN WHY I AM PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND SEEING THEM LEARN IS REALLY EXCITING. >> PARENTS AND STUDENTS CAN SIGN UP ON THE WEBSITE, THE KINDLING CURIOSITY WEBSITE. THE CLASSES MEET ONCE A WEEK. WE HAVE A LINK ON OUR WEBSITE, WBALTV.COM, AND IN THE TV APP.

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High school students teach virtual sessions to elementary, middle school students

Some high schoolers in Maryland are trying to spark a little extra curiosity in kids as they stay home during the coronavirus pandemic. They are offering free virtual classes in topics that aren't often taught in the classroom.Classes include anywhere from 20 to 40 elementary and middle school students, and they meet on Zoom. It's not often you have kids as young as nine debating topics like recession and nuclear war. But that's exactly what's happening in these sessions.One teacher is a 10th grader at Montgomery Blair High School in Montgomery County, part of a volunteer group of teenagers called Kindling Curiosity."Kids are spending a lot of time at home and with the time that they have, it's a great time to learn something new and these are great fields,” Steven Su, Montgomery Blair High School student, said. The high schoolers are teaching free classes to students, grades fourth through eighth, meant to inspire them beyond what they might be learning at home while school's out during the pandemic.The classes are offered five days a week, taught over Zoom and include topics like competitive math, competitive debate and programming.Montgomery Blair High School student Iris Xue teaches competitive math."We present several different problems from previous competitions and they might be slightly different from the problem that we just taught, so students have to think about what they can do differently,” Xue said.The program is in its second week and they've already had 100 students sign up on the Kindling Curiosity website.The students and teachers are having fun and working out any small hiccups that might pop up as they go.For next week's debate class, for example, the assignment is to make sure everyone has a working microphone.“It makes me feel really good because I see a lot of younger kids becoming interested in what I'm passionate about, and seeing them learn is really exciting,” Xue said.

SILVER SPRING, Md. —

Some high schoolers in Maryland are trying to spark a little extra curiosity in kids as they stay home during the coronavirus pandemic.

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They are offering free virtual classes in topics that aren't often taught in the classroom.

Classes include anywhere from 20 to 40 elementary and middle school students, and they meet on Zoom.

It's not often you have kids as young as nine debating topics like recession and nuclear war. But that's exactly what's happening in these sessions.

One teacher is a 10th grader at Montgomery Blair High School in Montgomery County, part of a volunteer group of teenagers called Kindling Curiosity.

"Kids are spending a lot of time at home and with the time that they have, it's a great time to learn something new and these are great fields,” Steven Su, Montgomery Blair High School student, said.

The high schoolers are teaching free classes to students, grades fourth through eighth, meant to inspire them beyond what they might be learning at home while school's out during the pandemic.

The classes are offered five days a week, taught over Zoom and include topics like competitive math, competitive debate and programming.

"We present several different problems from previous competitions and they might be slightly different from the problem that we just taught, so students have to think about what they can do differently,” Xue said.

The program is in its second week and they've already had 100 students sign up on the Kindling Curiosity website.

The students and teachers are having fun and working out any small hiccups that might pop up as they go.

For next week's debate class, for example, the assignment is to make sure everyone has a working microphone.

“It makes me feel really good because I see a lot of younger kids becoming interested in what I'm passionate about, and seeing them learn is really exciting,” Xue said.